Billions of dollars are at stake as a three-day hearing at Ontario's highest court gets underway Tuesday over the province's controversial wage-limiting law for public sector workers.
Last November, a judge with the Superior Court of Justice struck down Bill 124, Protecting a Sustainable Public Sector for Future Generations Act, ruling it unconstitutional.There are some 780,000 broader public sector workers in Ontario, including teachers, nurses and most employees of the province. Bill 124 became law in 2019, limiting their wages to a one per cent raise per year over a three-year period.
"He concluded that Bill 124 substantially interfered with the associational rights of employees based on the incorrect conclusion that the inability to achieve particular substantive outcomes is by itself a substantial interference with collective bargaining," provincial lawyers wrote. The government argued it was in rough financial shape at the time it enacted the law and it was needed to help reduce the deficit.
"The roots of countless problems in our province have invariably been traced back to [it]. It is a dark cloud that hangs over our province, impeding progress and trampling on the rights of people."Meanwhile, the president of the Ontario Federation of Labour , which represents 54 unions and a million workers in the province, said Bill 124 should be "scrapped for good.
Ontario Public Services Employees Union president JP Hornick said at a news conference Tuesday that unions will do 'whatever it takes' to fight the province's appeal."We are determined to win. We'll do whatever it takes and nothing is off the table," Hornick told reporters at a news conference Tuesday.
The judge who struck down Bill 124 delivered a "carefully reasoned decision," the groups argued in their factums filed with court.
Canada Latest News, Canada Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Billions at stake as Ontario takes public sector workers to Court of AppealBillions of dollars are at stake as a three-day hearing at Ontario's highest court gets underway Tuesday over the province's controversial wage-limiting law for public sector workers.
Read more »
Billions at stake as Ontario takes public sector workers to Court of AppealThe three-day hearing at Ontario’s highest court begins today over the province’s controversial wage-limiting law for public sector workers
Read more »
Billions at stake as Ontario takes public sector workers to Court of AppealBillions of dollars at stake as a three-day hearing at Ontario's top court gets underway today over the province's controversial wage-limiting law for public sector workers
Read more »
Billions at stake as Ontario takes public sector workers to Court of AppealBillions of dollars are at stake as a three-day hearing at Ontario’s highest court gets underway Tuesday over the province’s controversial wage-limiting law for public sector workers.
Read more »
OPP predicts tragic year on Ontario roadsThe first part of June 2023 revealed a particularly concerning trend on roads
Read more »